


Epiphany

by FM_White



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU - No Massacre, Anbu Uchiha Itachi, BAMF Haruno Sakura, F/M, Good Uchiha Itachi, Mokuton User Haruno Sakura, POV Uchiha Itachi, Strong Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Itachi-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:49:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26305876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FM_White/pseuds/FM_White
Summary: In which Sakura creates waves with her new-found strengths, Itachi has noticed, and Shisui is waiting to see what happens next.Prompt:Itachi bragging about Sakura's strengthMokuton Sakura
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Itachi
Comments: 114
Kudos: 736
Collections: Gifts for Shannaro





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shannaro-sakura (Gatomon)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gatomon/gifts).



* * *

**Epiphany  
For Shannaro-Sakura**

* * *

Uchiha Itachi didn’t even look up at the rumbling in the distance, followed by the telltale creaking of trees toppling over. Across from him, Shisui held a hand over his eye as he peered out the window, mouth formed in a small ‘o’ as he made a sound of awe. “Earthquake or Haruno, which one?”  
  
“Haruno,” the resounding choir sounded from Team Crimson.  
  
Shisui barked out a laugh. “All in agreement, huh?”  
  
“She’s been demonstrating her prowess weekly,” Itachi pointed out, focusing on filling out his mission report with absolute determination. The last time Haruno Sakura’s absurd powers had distracted him, he had ended up watching a lengthy spar session between her and his younger brother. She had ended up absolutely dominating the battle, pushing Sasuke to the ground with a bright smile and proud eyes that he often thought of. Sasuke had returned late at night, stomping through the main house in a huff for a solid two days until his mother told him off.  
  
Itachi hadn’t been able to get the image of her besting his younger brother out of his head since.  
  
“Got to say, a powerful woman is always attractive,” Shisui said appreciatively, taking a sip from his tea as he looked into the direction where the devastation took place. Itachi silently agreed with his cousin, pushing away the thought of possibly testing out how strong Haruno Sakura was, and turned back to his report.  
  
“Don’t you agree, cousin?”  
  
There was an edge to Shisui’s voice that caught his attention. Looking up, he found Shisui peering at him through knowing eyes, leaning back in his chair as he crossed his legs over the desk. A smirk played around the older man’s lips. He had to tread carefully now. “A strong kunoichi is always of value to the village,” he said. There. Diplomatic and not too revealing.  
  
Shisui’s smirk increased.  
  
Inwardly, Itachi cursed at himself.  
  
“Yes,” Shisui said. “ _Of value to the village_.”  
  
Something told him that wasn’t all Shisui was alluding to.  
  
Itachi finished his report, rolled it up and stood from his seat. “Dismissed,” he said to his team. Shisui remained in his seat while the rest of Itachi’s team disappeared, looking out over the village.  
  
“She is beautiful though. Hasn’t it been a while since you and Izumi broke up?”  
  
“She’s Sasuke’s team mate.”  
  
“Oh,” Shisui said, rolling his eyes. “She’s Sasuke’s team mate. That rules her out as a woman, does it?”  
  
“Yes,” Itachi said, filing the report into the cabinet. With one final look at his cousin, he strode out of the office, heading to the Uchiha training area. He was in dire need to blow off some steam.

* * *

  
“Is that an earthquake?” one of the new ANBU hires, shirt halfway to his head as he turned around in the locker room, as though he’d be able to see anything from the closed up space beneath the administration building.  
  
“Haruno,” Itachi and his squad said in unison, voice almost bored.  
  
“Haruno?” the recruit asked.  
  
“You’re one of the border patrollers, aren’t you?” Shisui asked, leaning his elbows on his knees. “Else you’d know her.”  
  
“Three year mission near Lightning,” the recruit said.  
  
“Haruno is the Hokage’s apprentice,” Itachi explained as he folded his clothes, enjoying the straight lines he folded into his shirt. “She’s master of medic jutsu and a highly capable toxicologist. Apart from that, she excels in taijutsu and chakra control.”  
  
Finding the locker room around him had quieted, Itachi lifted his head. While the rest of his team watched with mute surprise, Shisui had crossed his arms and grinned at him. “And she’s quite beautiful too, wouldn’t you say, Captain Uchiha?”  
  
Realizing his mistake, Itachi remained frozen, wishing fervently he could rewind time and shut his mouth. How was it that they could trust him with the worst secrets, the most heinous of lies and the most bountiful of treasures, but that he couldn’t keep his mouth shut about the one person who piqued his interest these last years? Perfect shinobi his--  
  
“I haven’t noticed.”  
  
Abruptly, as men do, the other squad members of his team burst into a passionate debate about who of the kunoichi in the village was their favorite. Shisui, however, sat still and watched him with that same infuriating smirk on his face. The one he had since childhood and flashed whenever he was onto Itachi, even when the latter tried his hardest to conceal even the slightest bit of himself.  
  
With haste, he pulled on his shirt, the wide collar masking the bottom half of his face from Shisui, dismissed his squad and walked out. He strode through the administration building and stepped into the bright summer day. The hum of cicadas greeted him as he climbed down the stairs and onto the main street, starting his long trek to the Uchiha District.  
  
He wasn’t quite sure what it was. Perhaps he was always attracted to power; that certainly seemed like an Uchiha trait. All Uchiha women were headstrong, powerful women in their own right, kunoichi or no, and Sakura shared that trait. Was it simply the fact that she could split mountain with her pinky, and with that same hand heal the worst of wounds? Was it the fact that she was single-handedly reviving Mokuton and exploring the possibilities on behalf of all Water and Earth chakra users? Or was it the fact that despite it all, she always smiled sweetly and called him ‘Itachi-san’ whenever she would bump into him?  
  
“Itachi-san?”  
  
He looked up.  
  
Haruno Sakura stood before him, hands clasped behind her back, eyes bright and that one particular smile he always enjoyed plastered over her face. “Back from a mission?”  
  
“Sakura-san,” he said in greeting, voice hoarse. He cleared his throat. “Yes. I was just returning home.” He paused, looking for subjects to talk about. “Done training?”  
  
“How did you know I was training?”  
  
He gave her a look. A blush crept up her cheeks. “That obvious?”  
  
“Obvious enough,” Itachi said, pocketing his hands. She gave him a bashful smile. “How is Mokuton coming along? Sasuke says you’ve been trying to learn.”  
  
She let out a quiet ‘oh’ of surprise, blush intensifying. “I am. I hadn’t realized Sasuke was talking about me.” She cast her eyes down. “It’s not very successful just yet, but I’m hoping to make it work. Captain Yamato told me I have potential, whatever that means.”  
  
Spotting the bitter tone in her voice, Itachi smiled. “You’re one of the strongest and smartest kunoichi in this village, Sakura-san. You’ll make it work.” He hesitated, not missing the way her eyes shot up to meet his. “I would like to join you for a training session. Perhaps I can be of aid.”  
  
Her mouth fell open and there was a moment of silent that stretched on. “You... Would like to help me?”  
  
He was beginning to regret opening his mouth. What was he thinking? He was having a hard enough time talking to her during the few brief moments they met. Just as he formed words to retract his offer, Sakura beamed. “I’m at training ground six every Wednesdays around 8am. Please join me whenever you’re free.”  
  
“I will,” he said, watching as she gave him one last smile before moving past him, down the street and to the hospital.  
  


* * *

  
Team Crimson walked through the round hallway of the administration building when the floor beneath them rumbled violently. Shisui swore as he steadied himself on the wall. Behind him Yuugao took a knee to steady herself. Itachi stood still, waiting for the tremors to pass. They shared a look when it was over. “Earthquake,” Itachi said.  
  
“Haruno,” Shisui said, the rest of his team nodding in unison.  
  
“Yes?” a voice came from further down the hall. Frozen in place, they watched as Sakura rounded the corner, carrying a stack of papers and looking thoroughly confused. Upon seeing Itachi, a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.  
  
“Nothing,” Shisui said, flustered. “We were just checking if you were alright.”  
  
“I wasn’t aware Sharingan could see through walls,” Sakura said, raising an eyebrow. Itachi fought to keep the grin off his face as Shisui, obviously at a loss for words, scratched his neck and shrugged.  
  
She turned to Itachi. “I have to deliver these to the administration. Will I see you this Wednesday?”  
  
From the corner of his eye, he could see a cheshire grin forming on Shisui’s face. “Wednesday?”  
  
“Itachi-san has offered to help me with my training.”  
  
“ _Has he?_ ” Shisui asked.  
  
Itachi’s eyes drifted shut.  
  
“Well, he is one of the best shinobi in this village and his mastery of jutsu is remarkable. If anyone can help you, it’s definitely Itachi.”  
  
Silently, Itachi vowed to not pull his punches during his next spar session with Shisui.  
  
“We don’t have a mission this Wednesday, do we?” Shisui asked him.  
  
He wouldn’t be pulling his kicks either.  
  
“No,” Itachi said, careful to keep his voice neutral. “I’ll see you at the training grounds, Sakura-san.”  
  
In fairness, the smile that brightened her face made everything worth it. It warmed him from inside, something unfamiliar fluttering against the inside of his stomach. “I can’t wait,” Sakura said, readjusting her stack of papers in her arms.  
  
He bit the inside of his mouth to keep himself from replying: ‘ _Neither can I_.’  
  
Instead, he nodded and moved past Sakura, knowing his team would follow. Once they were out of earshot, Shisui closed the distance between the two of them. “Were you going to tell me you’re going after Haruno?”  
  
“I’m not going after Haruno.”  
  
“One should not tell lies to their best friend,” Shisui warned with a grin.  
  
“One’s best friend shouldn’t assume.”  
  
“It’s not an assumption is one knows it to be true,” Shisui laughed. “Deny it all you want, cousin. One day, you’ll have an epiphany and on that day, I’ll be waiting to hear ‘ _you were right._ ‘”  
  
“Trust me, Shisui,” Itachi spoke, striding to the Fifth’s chamber. “I won’t be saying those words.” He shot him a look. “Ever.”  
  
“I’ll give you until midnight on Wednesday.”  
  


* * *

  
As Itachi stood on the border of training ground six, holding two identical bento boxes in his hand, the thought occurred to him that this might be the exact way his father wooed his mother. The story Mikoto had soundly beaten Fugaku during their first training session had made its rounds throughout the entire Uchiha district multiple times throughout his childhood, much to Fugaku’s displeasure.

  
Was that what he wanted, though? She fascinated him, yes. Despite his vehement denial toward Shisui, she was incredibly attractive. But he had known her since she was a six-year-old child, chasing after his younger brother. When had she grown up to be a woman? Was it when she completed training with Tsunade and aced her chuunin exams? Or that time when she brought back Sasuke, heaved over her shoulder like a sack of rice, who could not back down from one of Naruto’s challenges and drank until he passed out? Or was it the time they had taken Fugaku to the hospital, and he had fought his way to the front door until Sakura had single-handedly told him off and made him return to his bed like a naughty child?  
  
“Itachi-san?”  
  
Caught, Itachi nodded politely. “Sakura-san.”  
  
She strode up to him, all legs and bright smiles, tying her hair into a ponytail. “I’m glad you made it,” she said, eyes drifting down to the bento boxes in his hand. “Did you... make lunch?”  
  
Embarrassed, he looked down to the packages in his hands and the neat cloth he had folded around both. He had gotten up at the crack of down to make the bento boxes, remembering she liked tempura, and packed the lunch without thinking. “Yes,” he said. “I thought you might need lunch after rearranging the forest.”  
  
She let out a soft laugh, and shyly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a pretty blush forming on her cheeks. “Thank you,” she said, biting her lip as she turned back to the clearing. “I usually just start with some taijutsu to warm up and start practicing my Mokuton after. It’s... not much to look at right now.”  
  
“Let’s spar,” Itachi said, setting down the bento boxes on a piece of flat rock near them. He rolled up his sleeves and followed her as she led them to the center of the clearing. Standing across from her, Itachi took a moment to observe her. Her petite frame and slim stature suggested she wouldn’t be able to withstand him for long, but Itachi knew better. He couldn’t underestimate her, not for one second.  
  
“I won’t use my chakra,” Sakura called, surprising him. “If we’re to practice Mokuton, I’ll need everything I have.”  
  
Itachi nodded. “Begin.”  
  
She crouched down, waiting for him to make a move. A smirk tugged at his mouth—she was a medic nin through and through. Not going in for the offense, but she would be evading all of his attacks. Curious to see how much Tsunade taught her, he channeled chakra to his legs, using his speed to take her off guard as he sprinted toward her, delivering a roundhouse kick. She expertly ducked and side-stepped him, arm cocking back to deliver a punch. Just as her fist neared his face, his hand shot out to stop her, wrapping around her wrist. She gritted her teeth as him, eyes blazing as she twisted her arm in his, grabbing his wrist and wrenched it down, surprising him with her strength. Her leg came up to kick him in the chest, but he pushed it away, taking a step back. “I thought we agreed not to use chakra.”  
  
Her eyebrows shot up. “I’m not using any.”  
  
The thought that Haruno Sakura, tiny as she was, was strong of her own, had never occurred to her. Suddenly finding his fascination with her doubling, Itachi moved in on her, delivering fast jabs and kicks that she all managed to maneuver out of dodge from, dancing just outside his reach. In turn, she attempted to hit him with an uppercut that he deftly curved away from. They danced around each other in a fast-paced dance, neither one of them hitting the other. A grin played around her lips, a determined glint in her emerald eyes as she gave it her all until both of them separated, sucking in deep breaths as they observed one another.  
  
“You’re good,” Sakura said grudgingly.  
  
“As are you.”  
  
“Isn’t that something you’d expect from the Hokage’s apprentice?” Sakura asked, pushing a sweaty lock of hair up her head. The tone in her voice told him it was something she was used to hearing.  
  
“No,” he replied honestly. “But it is something I’ve come to expect from you.”  
  
She ducked her head, but he didn’t miss the slightly goofy grin that adorned her lips. “Is that so?” she muttered behind her pink locks, looking up to meet his gaze.

“Yes...” he admitted. Fascinated by the look in her eye, he dusted off his pants and strode to her, signaling the end of the taijutsu spar. She stood upright, straightening her spine, and nodded at him.  
  
“So, what’s next?”  
  
“Let’s see how far you’ve come with Mokuton.”  
  
They spent the rest of the morning working on her ninjutsu. To her credit, even with minimal help, she had gotten to the point where she could form tiny branches from existing trees, curling them around. They worked on her chakra control for hours, attempting to grow plants from the ground rather than an existing source. Around noon, Sakura wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked up to check the time. “I need to be in the hospital soon,” Sakura said.

He nodded, walking off to retrieve the bento boxes. He sat down across from her and handed her one of the boxes. She beamed at him, accepted the package and unfurled the knot he had tied, peeking into the box. “I didn’t know you could cook!”  
  
“I used to take care of Sasuke. He had lofty wishes for lunch.”  
  
“I remember you coming to pick him up from the Academy,” Sakura said, tasting one of the tempura bits he had prepared. She hummed in appreciation and dug into her box, devouring her bento with a speed he’d rarely seen before. Noticing his surprise, Sakura perked up, looking caught. “I’m sorry. I’m used to Naruto stealing my food if I don’t eat it fast.”  
  
“Your teammates need to be taught a lesson in etiquette,” Itachi said, amusement tingeing his voice.  
  
“You’re welcome to try. I think Kakashi-sensei has given up.”  
  
He chuckled. They chatted amicably until she finished her lunch, any of the previous discomfort gone. Talking to her was easy; she was smart and sharp, a decade of being in a team with Kakashi, Naruto and his younger brother had turned her impervious to the light teasing he tried, but she was hyper-aware of him in a way that both flattered and surprised him. He collected the boxes and began folded the cloths together. He caught her watching him and looked up to find her averting her eyes, quickly standing to her feet.  
  
“Thank you for joining my training session,” she said, brushing her hair behind her ear, smudging her cheek in the meantime. Unable to stop himself, he reached to cup her jaw, slowly brushing the dirt from her skin, only to realize what he was doing when her eyes blew wide open.  
  
“I apologize,” he said, retracting his hand like it had been burned. “You had some dirt.”  
  
“Thank you,” she mumbled, cupping her cheek with both hands. The red of her cheeks exacerbated by the brightness of her hair. She bit her lip and looked at him, an unfanthomable look coming over her before she took a step back. “Will I see you again?” She paused. “For practice, I mean.”  
  
“I’ll try,” he said, mouth dry as he watched her walk away.  
  
The thought struck him that he liked her blushes. And her shy looks. And the way she could fight him without using her chakra without him wiping the floor with her. And her ecstatic look as small plants erupted from the ground.  
  
Shit.  
  
He liked Haruno Sakura.  
  
He more than liked her.  
  
Standing alone in the clearing, Itachi angled his face up to the sun, eyes shutting to block out the sun, one thought occurring to him: ‘ _Shisui can’t know._ ‘

* * *

“Tick-Tock,” Shisui said, nodding at the clock that hung over the bar.  
  
“An hour to midnight.”  
  
“Anything to confess?” he said, taking a swing from his beer. In the booth next to them, Yuugao celebrated her birthday with the rest of the team, raucous laughter bursting forth every once in a while.  
  
“No,” Itachi said, sipping from his tea.  
  
“How did the training go?”  
  
“She’s talented,” Itachi admitted.  
  
“Talking women with you is like drawing blood from a stone, cousin,” Shisui groaned, slipping lower into the booth. The door to the bar opened, a familiar flash of orange stepping into the entryway. “Well, look who it is,” Shisui grinned, watching as Team Seven walked in.  
  
Naruto gave a rowdy greeting to the entire bar and hopped over to where Inuzuka Kiba and a few others of the Konoha Twelve sat. He was followed closely by Sasuke, though his younger brother noticed him first. Shisui held up his beer in greeting when Sasuke nodded at the both of them. Last in was Sakura. She scanned the bar, eyes landing on where he sat with Shisui, and sent him a smile that warmed him from deep inside. The strange fluttering in his stomach returned as he returned the smile. She blushed, tucked her hair in and joined the rest of her friends.  
  
“Nothing to confess, hm?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Denial is a man’s worst enemy sometimes.”  
  
“So are assumptions.”  
  
Shisui gave an amused grin, but allowed Itachi to change the subject. Every once in a while, when he was sure Shisui wasn’t watching, he chanced a look at Sakura. She sat beside Naruto, laughing with her friends, returning his questioning gaze from time to time with a shy one of her own. Yes, she was definitely interested in him. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, excitement washing over him, though he was careful not to show in front of Shisui.  
  
So. She was interested.  
  
Now what?  
  
How did this happen with Izumi, again? Itachi wondered. She had been the one to approach him, even from childhood. She invited him to go to the lake, or to spar together, or go on shopping trips. Their first shared kiss was awkward and fumbling, but it felt like a logical next step. With Sakura, however, he wanted to put in more effort.  
  
“Are they... arm wrestling?” Shisui asked, disrupting his thoughts. He looked up, past Shisui, who had slung his arm over the booth, just in time to see Sakura slam Kiba’s hand down in an arm-wrestle contest, eyes shining with excitement as she bellowed a distinctly unfeminine roar: “ _Shannaro!_ ”  
  
“Those guys are going easy on her,” Shisui said with a smirk. “It’s either that or she’s using her chakra.”  
  
Itachi very nearly snorted, remembering the way her pure strength surprised him during their session. “She’s a powerful woman.”  
  
“Perhaps I should test it out.”  
  
“Perhaps you should.” He paused. “I look forward to hearing you say: ‘You were right.’”  
  
“Trust me, cousin, I won’t be saying those words.”  
  
Itachi couldn’t contain the smirk that formed on his lips as Shisui slid out of the booth and strode with purpose toward Haruno Sakura. “I’ll give you until midnight.”  
  
In the meantime, he would enjoy the show and think of a way to ask Haruno Sakura out.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! If you're a shy reader or don't know what to say, please feel free to leave an emoticon:  
  
  
_❤️ - Loved it!_**  
  
_**🙏🏻 - Thank you!  
  
** **🍡 - Fluffy and sweet like dango** _

_**😂 - I need Shisui in my life  
** _

**_💪 - Sakura will definitely beat Shisui_  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Epiphany**

* * *

_Happy (belated!) Birthday Shannaro_

* * *

  
  
From the moment Shisui sat down in the chair to the moment Itachi had to turn on his Sharingan to burn the image of Uchiha Shisui flying through the crowded bar, time had only progressed seven seconds. Three seconds of Shisui's cocky grin, two of Sakura's unimpressed gaze, one second of Shisui realizing he was losing, another of him trying to break free from Sakura's grasp and then the undignified slide as Shisui slipped from the stood and skidded all the way to the table where Naruto and Sasuke were seated.  
  
Sasuke looked down at his cousin, disappointment clear as day crossing over his face while Naruto heaved up a glass of beer for Shisui, laughing boisterously as he congratulated him for lasting as long as he did. Shisui pushed himself off the ground by his elbows, shell-shocked and clearly confused, but he burst into laughter soon afterward, accepting a drink from Naruto's beer glass and pushed himself off the ground.  
  
Sakura sat smugly in her chair, legs crossed as she watched his cousin struggle to his feet. "Round two?" she asked, a kittenish tone coloring her voice.  
  
Shisui barked out another laugh. "Think I'll pass." Then, with a sly smirk, he turned to Itachi. "But my cousin might want to."  
  
Instantly, Sakura whirled around to meet his gaze. Flushed, she observed him as though out of breath, eyes wide in surprise. She had known he was present in the bar, Itachi realized, so why the shock? Or was it the idea of him actually stepping up to the plate, and arm-wrestling with her that caught her off-guard?  
  
"No, thank you," Itachi said out loud, flashing a polite smile to the crowd that had begun chanting his name in garbled drunk speech. "I believe one disgraced Uchiha is enough for the night."  
  
"You forgot about Sasuke," Naruto hooted, earning a kick from his younger brother beneath the table. "Ouch!"  
  
Oh, he had missed that.  
  
...  
  
They truly needed to invent more space-time jutsu. If only he could rewind time to see Sakura best his younger brother one more time. Of all the times to forget to turn on his Sharingan to memorize critical moments of his life, that was the one he regretted the most.  
  
"Well, we've all seen Sakura whooping Sasuke's ass before," Shisui said. Behind him, Sasuke burrowed his face in his hands. "Nothing new there."  
  
"Shisui!" Sasuke complained, looking up from his hands, brow pinched.  
  
"What? Naruto told us about the lecture she gave you when you over-grilled the fish the other day," Shisui said, sliding into the booth. He pushed Sasuke further in, to the absolute exasperation of his younger brother, and signaled for Itachi to join.  
  
He gave Sakura another look. It appeared she was done with her arm wrestling. And truly, what harm was there in getting to know her better while he formulated a plan to ask her out?  
  
She slid in next to Naruto and looked up when Itachi joined them, producing a chair from one of the adjoining booths. He purposefully bumped his knee with her when he was certain Shisui couldn't see and was rewarded with another shy smile as he sat down, their knees pressing together. "I believe you owe me something, Shisui," Itachi pointed out.  
  
Shisui frowned at him and exhaled. "You, Uchiha Itachi, bane of my existance and favorite cousin," he glanced at Sasuke with a broad grin and mouthed ' _no offense_ ', "were right."  
  
"Thank you," Itachi said while Sasuke growled: " _Favorite_ cousin?"  
  
"What was that about?" Sakura asked while Sasuke and Shisui started a hot debate whether one could call favorites in familial bonds, all the while egged on by Naruto who was deep in his fourth beer and enjoyed watching Uchiha havoc.  
  
"Shisui was convinced you were using your chakra. I told him he was wrong," Itachi explained, that same strange warmth spreading through his stomach. She observed him with luminous green eyes, head cocked as she listened to his explanation, a slow smile curling her lips.  
  
"You were convinced I would win?"  
  
"Having been on the wrong end of your strength, absolutely."  
  
Her flush deepened, white teeth clamping down on her full lip. "I'm glad I made a good impression."  
  
Sensing an angle, he chanced a look at the other three men, and, sensing they were embroiled in their conflict, leaned closer. "You've made an excellent impression. It's seldom I'm taken off-guard."  
  
"Is that so?" the kittenish tone was back.  
  
"Yes. So much so that I'd--"  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto bellowed, startling the pink-haired kunoichi. She jumped in her chair, knees brushing his again, and let out a distinctly unfeminine curse that had Sasuke in shock and Shisui in tatters. For his part, Itachi tried not to be obvious about his newly-found affections as he watched Sakura wrap an arm around Naruto's neck, hellbent on squeezing the life out of him.  
  
"What?!" she gritted out.  
  
"Don't you think Sasuke looks a lot like Shisui?" Naruto managed. Instantly, Shisui and Sasuke started bickering again, listing all the things in which they were distinctly different and that just because they were both (handsome, according to Shisui) Uchiha, did not mean that they were in any way, at all, the same. Sakura turned back to him, an apologetic look in her eyes as she observed him through her lashes. He smiled at her, but didn't attempt to try to ask again. The moment was over and what's more, Shisui was eyeing him with that dreadful look in his eyes. Any flirtation from his side would be seen and mocked, and Itachi would be damned before he would admit to Shisui that he was right.  
  
It wasn't a thing of pride.  
  
He thought.  
  
Inwardly, he sighed.  
 _  
Operation ask Haruno Sakura out while in the presence of her friends – failed._

* * *

He tried flowers next.  
  
Using his superior shinobi skillset, he sat in watch, following Sakura around as she met with various friends, hospital staff and went out shopping. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was sure she was best friend with Yamanaka Ino, whose parents owned a flower shop of all things, but the thought of him having to go to Yamanaka to ask Sakura's favorite type of flowers was... well, all but a guarantee all of Konoha would know in three seconds flat.  
  
In other words, not an option.  
  
So, he had settled upon stalking Sakura like the Third's grandson would chase around after Naruto, though luckily with better camouflage and senses.  
  
Sakura's day had led him to the hospital, where he had peeked into her office to find no flowers there. She had worked her shift, continued to go shopping and had lunch with Hyuuga Hinata after. Presently, she traveled the main street of Konoha and he knew a flower shop was coming up soon. Keeping his eyes peeled, he watched as she neared the shop and sniffed the air experimentally, leaping with joy to the small, pink flowers on display in front of the store.

  
Cosmos flowers, he noted.  
  
The next day, he sent a bouquet of cosmos flowers, signed 'I' to the hospital.  
  
Impressed with his newly acquired sense of romance, Itachi had sat at the manor all day, expecting her to possibly show up and ask him about them.  
  
However, apart from Sasuke duking it out with Naruto, nothing happened.  
  
The next day, he sent another bouquet, signed 'U. I.' Surely she would get the message now.  
  
The day passed with nothing worthy of note.  
  
Perplexed and slightly offended that Sakura didn't care enough for his flowers, Itachi sat and overlooked the pond in the main manor. As his mother came trailing out of the kitchen, he was sorely tempted to ask her what women wanted from men who courted them, only to realize courting wasn't exactly a modern term and he was absolutely horrible at this.  
  
Perhaps Sakura was feeling hesitant to visit him.  
  
Perhaps he should follow up on the bouquets with a visit.  
  
And so it was that the next day, half an hour after delivery of the bouquet, Itachi found himself outside the hospital. From the reception desk, he found out she was working on the fifth floor. Taking two steps at a time, he raced to the top of the hospital, hoping to catch her between visitations.  
  
What greeted him when he reached the top of the stairs was the sight of a livid, steam-coming-from-her-ears Sakura – and she was marvelous.  
  
The only thing that worried him about the sight itself was the very crumpled bouquet of cosmos flowers she held in one of her hands while breathing loudly out of her nose at one of her patients, who looked absolutely terrified. "Izuki-kun!" Sakura said, waving the joke that tried to pass for a bouquet over her head. "It is not professional for patients to send their doctors flowers. I've rejected you and your love letter, now kindly _desist_!"  
  
She punctuated her remark by slamming the flowers so hard into the trashbin by the door that Itachi was certain they had reached the floor below and stomped out of the room.  
  
"Uzuki-kun, you know better," another nurse reprimanded as they walked by the room.  
  
' _Uzuki Izuki. U. I,_ ' he thought, closing his eyes as he considered the strange ways in which the universe worked. Sakura had never made the connection to him, but had thought the flowers came from a love-sick patient. He eyed the shell-shocked man in the hospital bed a moment longer (while marveling over Izuki-kun's parents' naming decision. He had thought Itachi was bad. At least it wasn't Utachi Itachi) before slinking back out of the hospital.  
 _  
Operation ask Haruno Sakura out by wooing her with flowers – failed._

* * *

"I like Haruno Sakura."  
  
"I KNEW it," Shisui bellowed, nearly tossing over his desk in his unbridled enthusiasm. "Did you ask her out?"  
  
"I'm having... trouble with that."  
  
Shisui sat down again, leaning his chin in his hand. "I'm not surprised. You were like that with Izumi too."  
  
"She was the one who made overtures to me."  
  
Shisui snorted. "Overtures. Remind me, how old are you again?"  
  
Itachi glared at Shisui. "I regret informing you about this."  
  
"Oh, don't be like that," Shisui said with a wave, leaning back in his chair. "Hmm... How about sending her flowers?"  
  
He had come to Shisui for advice, swallowing his pride and knowing Shisui would tease him over this for many, many years to come, and this was the best his cousin could come up with? Had he lost his mind along with his sense of preservation once he realized he was under Sakura's thrall? "I've sent her flowers. She sent them into the bin."  
  
"Oh, yikes," Shisui laughed. "Are you sure she likes you? Because if she doesn't--"  
  
"Thank you, Shisui."  
  
"Okay, okay, hold on to your socks," Shisui said, crossing his arms, a frown pinching his brow. "Chocolates?"  
  
"Have you ever asked someone out or is your knowledge purely theoretical?"  
  
"I've been on more dates than you, _cousin_."  
  
"And you have asked them out with flowers and chocolate?"  
  
"Well, no. It depends on the woman," Shisui retorted, tapping his chin in consideration. "With Ami, I sent her flowers. Ana, I sent chocolates. Mina, now I just asked her out, she was a spitfire. Oh, and then there was Kanna, I asked her through a friend."  
  
"Asked her through a friend?"  
  
"She was a little hesitant, so I had no idea whether she'd like to go out or not. So I asked Ruka, her best friend, to ask if her if she would like to go out," he paused, "signed, Shisui."  
  
Itachi considered the idea for a moment. He could ask Naruto, but that would end up in Naruto laughing at him and then laughing in Sakura's face. Sasuke was out of the question; he would probably give his younger brother a heartattack if he asked Sasuke to set him up with Sakura. Then there was Shisui.  
  
A quick look at the man told him Shisui had arrived at the same conclusion, a Cheshire smile splitting his face as he waited for Itachi to ask.  
  
"No," Itachi said, returning to his report.  
  
"Sourpuss," Shisui mumbled.  
  
 _Operation ask Haruno Sakura out through a friend – failed._  
  


* * *

  
Surely there was a better way of doing this, Itachi thought as he stood on the balcony, feeling the ground shake beneath his feet. ' _Haruno_ ,' he thought out of habit, guaging where she would be training right about now. ' _Training area five?_ '

Their training, though awkward, had turned into something natural in no time. They spoke, flirted and sparred like they had done so every day of their life. So why then, did he find it so hard to walk up to her and ask her, especially knowing she probably was alone by now.  
  
As though the rumbling earth prompted him, the answer came in an instant.  
  
He was being a coward.  
  
Now, there were a lot of things that one could say about Uchiha Itachi.  
  
Awkward. Inexperienced around women. Introverted.  
  
But a coward?  
  
"No," he said, standing up straight.  
  
Beneath him, Mikoto, who had been hanging out the laundry, looked up, eyebrow cocked in wonder at him. He nodded at her and fled back into the house, put his shoes on and rushed to the training area where he suspected Haruno Sakura to be.  
  
Ahead of him, trees rustled and tore from the ground as she practiced her jutsu. He found her in a clearing, sweating profusely, her hair sticking to her forehead and cheeks. At the sight of him, she perked up, looked embarrassed about her sweaty state, but she straightened out. "Itachi-san," she said, the warmth in her voice reflected in his insides, which had turned upside down.  
  
"Sakura-san," he spoke, walking up to her.  
  
"Here for a training?" she asked, that same flirtatious tone in her smile and tone of voice.  
  
"No, I'm here to ask you out."

_Operation ask Haruno Sakura out on a date - ??_

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! If you're a shy reader or don't know what to say, please feel free to leave an emoticon:  
  
  
 _❤️ - Loved it!_**   
  
_**🙏🏻 - Thank you!  
  
** **🍡 - Fluffy and sweet like dango** _

_**😂 - I need Shisui in my life  
** _

**_💪 - Sakura will definitely say yes!  
_**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't originally planning on continuing this, but then Shannaro asked for a continuation and well, what else could I do? <3

**Author's Note:**

> This was a gift-fic for the wonderful Shannaro-Sakura, who has been nothing but a beacon of positivity and support despite going through a rough time. I hope this makes your day sweets. <3

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * A [Restricted Work] by [jennity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennity/pseuds/jennity) Log in to view. 




End file.
